1. Technical Field
The present disclosure relates generally to systems for accessing the body, and more particularly, to trocar systems configured for sealably receiving endoscopic instruments of various diameters.
2. Background of Related Art
Trocars and other access assemblies are used by surgeons to operate on a patient without having to create large incisions that may become infected and may cause major scaring. Access assemblies are known in the art, as are the instruments inserted therethrough for operating within the body cavity. Typically an access assembly comprises two major components, a sleeve including a housing and a cannula, and an obturator.
Accessing the body cavity using an access assembly is a multi-step process. An incision is initially made in the skin using a scalpel or other cutting instrument. Some access assemblies may include a cutting blade or sharpened distal end for performing this function. The obturator, having been inserted into the sleeve of the cannula, is directed through the incision in the skin. By applying pressure against the proximal end of the obturator, the sharpened point of the obturator is forced through the skin until it enters the body cavity. The cannula is inserted through the perforation made by the obturator and the obturator is withdrawn, leaving the trocar cannula as an access way to the body cavity.
In order to provide a greater space in which a surgeon may operate and to increase visibility of the tissue being operated on, the body cavity is generally insufflated. To avoid gas leakage from within the cavity prior to or during insertion of an instrument through the cannula, and as instruments are being removed and replace, various seal members have been developed. Conventional access systems generally include one or more seals configured for use with endoscopic instruments of the same or similar diameters. In this manner, all of the instruments inserted through the access assembly must be of substantially similar diameter, otherwise a proper seal will not form between the instrument and the housing. An improper seal may result in leakage of the insufflation gas.
However, not all endoscopic instruments have similar diameters. An instrument for performing one procedure may have a different diameter from a second instrument for performing the same procedure, just as instruments for performing various procedures may have different diameters from one another. Successful completion of a procedure may require the use of various instruments throughout the procedure. Thus, completing a procedure using multiple endoscopic instruments may require the use of more than one access assembly each of a different size.
Therefore, it would be beneficial to have an access assembly that is configured to receive endoscopic instruments of differing diameters.